Norwalk, CT, September 5, 2012: Officials at New York Comic Con (NYCC) are pleased to announce that the critically acclaimed and renowned alternative rock trio Ben Folds Five will perform at NYCC in an opening night concert. This exclusive concert appearance for the fans attending NYCC will be part of the band’s reunion tour following the release of their first new album in 13 years called The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind. Ben Folds Five will perform in the IGN Theater at NYCC on Thursday, October 11 at 8:00 PM, presented by WD, maker of digital storage and home entertainment products. The concert is free for NYCC VIPs and 4-Day ticket holders with entrance provided on a first come, first served basis. Badges must be presented at the door.

This year’s New York Comic Con, which attracted over 100,000 fans last year, will take place October 11 – 14, 2012 at Manhattan’s Javits Center. The extravaganza attracts top talent and major artists from all areas of the pop culture universe including comics, film, television, music, books and gaming.

Ben Folds Five reunited last year to record three new songs for the career-spanning compilation The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective. At that time the band hit on ideas that yielded their first new material since 1998’s The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner which has led them back into the studio to record a new album. Ben Folds has noted that when the trio, which includes bassist Robert Sledge and drummer Darren Jessee, got together for the compilation their time together was very creatively productive. He notes: “I just started throwing ideas out there, one after the other, and they were all coming together and sounding like something from another album, like an album in the future. We really found ourselves very interested in making another sound.”

In commenting on the exclusive concert engagement, Lance Fensterman, Group Vice President and Show Manager for New York Comic Con, notes: “This is an awesome way to be kicking off this year’s edition of New York Comic Con, and it is definitely a statement about the type of high quality programming and entertainment that we plan to deliver to our fans on all fronts. We are all about providing killer content from all strains of popular culture. This is simply the latest in a long line of notable announcements that we will continue to make right up to our show. We are grateful to Ben Folds Five for agreeing to fit us into their tour schedule and for getting our 2012 event off to such an auspicious start. The IGN Theater will be packed with fans on Thursday, October 11!”

As noted, New York Comic Con spans the pop culture universe, welcoming guests from the worlds of movies, television, anime, manga and video games and providing a home to all that is new, nerdy and cool. In the past, this has included performances from stand-up comics, dinners with all-star chefs and panel discussions with names in fields ranging from cryptid research to theoretical physics. NYCC is proud to be building on this tradition by playing host to Ben Folds Five. The band has been a part of the broader pop culture world since 1994 and their appearance at NYCC will be an opening highlight, ushering in a show filled with pop culture celebrities, guests and entertainment activities.

“Ben Folds Five personifies the inspiration and creative courage that attendees of New York Comic Con so much embrace and that we applaud at WD,” said Jim Welsh, executive vice president for WD’s branded products and consumer electronics groups. “We support artists, hobbyists and creative professionals of all types as we know their digital storage devices need to be reliable and entertainment products effortless to use and of the highest quality.”

WD will be showcasing its newest home networking products, which accelerate movies, video and gaming, delivering a premium high-definition entertainment experience. Truly fitting New York Comic Con style, WD’s showcase will be in a 34-foot Airstream trailer, wrapped in flashy images and parked inside the Show Floor (Booth #1167).

Tickets for New York Comic Con in 2012 are currently available for purchase at www.NewYorkComicCon.com. Anyone interested in exhibiting at New York Comic Con should contact Larry Settembrini, Larry@ReedPOP.com. Other information about the show, as well as news about ReedPOP, which organizes a range of pop culture events, is available at facebook.com/NewYorkComicCon and twitter.com/NY_Comic_Con . Organizers note that many more guests will be announced over the next few weeks and fans should keep their eyes on NYCC’s website and blog for additional comic, entertainment and anime announcements.

ABOUT BEN FOLDS FIVE:Ben Folds Five, the groundbreaking trio who changed the course of indie rock in the mid-1990s, has re-formed and is releasing The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind, the group’s first album of new music in 13 years.

Ben Folds Five is Ben Folds (piano), Robert Sledge (bass) and Darren Jessee (drums) who emerged from Chapel Hill, NC in 1994. The trio’s high energy gigs garnered an intensely loyal fanbase and BFF signed first with an indie releasing their first eponymously titled album featuring the classics “Underground” and “Philosophy.” Then a move to the majors wrought 1997’s watershed album Whatever And Ever Amen. A slice of pure pop perfection, the album introduced the ballad “Brick,” broke the band commercially and sold more than two million copies worldwide. BFF recorded its last album, 1999’s The Unauthorized Biography Of Reinhold Messner , which included the single “Army,” before disbanding in 2000.

The trio briefly reunited for a one-off live performance of The Unauthorized Biography Of Reinhold Messner on MySpace in 2008 and in 2011, the original three members recorded three new studio tracks for The Best Imitation Of Myself: A Retrospective, a career-spanning Ben Folds anthology. The old magic seemed to be rekindled.

BFF gave its first concert in more than a decade to a spellbound audience at New York’s Mountain Jam Festival on June 2, 2012. That was followed by a short run of key US summer festivals in June including Bonnaroo, Milwaukee Summerfest, and Old St. Patrick’s Church Block Party in Chicago.

The band returns to the road this Fall with a major North American tour. November will see BFF performances at Australia’s two-week Harvest Festival followed by tours of the UK and Ireland. In 2013, Ben Folds Five will go to Japan, Korea and elsewhere in the Pacific Rim as well as returning for more North American shows.

ABOUT REEDPOP: ReedPOP is a boutique group within Reed Exhibitions which is exclusively devoted to organizing events, launching and acquiring new shows, and partnering with premium brands in the pop culture arena. ReedPOP is dedicated to producing celebrations of popular culture throughout the world that transcend ordinary events by providing unique access and dynamic personal experiences for consumers and fans. The ReedPOP portfolio includes: New York Comic Con (NYCC), Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) Prime & East, Star Wars Celebration, Fantasy Football Fest and the UFC Fan Expo. The staff at ReedPOP is a fan-based group of professionals producing shows for other fans, thus making them uniquely qualified to service those with whom they share a common passion. ReedPOP is focused on bringing its expertise and knowledge to world communities in North America, South America, Asia and Europe.